


When Everybody’s Words Got in the Way

by kaguya_yoru



Series: Everybody Talks [6]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, D/s AU, F/M, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Multi, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:27:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26796622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaguya_yoru/pseuds/kaguya_yoru
Summary: Steve trailed behind Phil as they moved deeper inside the house, mind working furiously to calm himself and put his thoughts in order. He had a plan. Everything would be fixed soon. Both his thoughts and feet halted when he reached the doorway of the living room.Steve’s kneeling cushion was gone.
Relationships: Bruce Banner/Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Clint Barton/Phil Coulson, Clint Barton/Phil Coulson/Steve Rogers, Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers, Phil Coulson/Steve Rogers
Series: Everybody Talks [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/380653
Comments: 6
Kudos: 51





	When Everybody’s Words Got in the Way

**Author's Note:**

> *dusts off this series*
> 
> I didn't think it would take me four years to return to this verse but 2020 has taught me that anything is possible. This is a D/s verse but only light D/s happens in the fic.
> 
> This is another interlude in the main storyline, like [_You Could Be My Drug_](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6762736). Both interludes give a little bit more backstory for the events in _You Could Be My New Addiction_ , the last planned story in the series, but don't need to be read to enjoy it. I am still slowly chipping away at _You Could Be My New Addiction_ ; as usual, I can't predict when I will finish it so please subscribe to me or the series if you'd like to know when it's done.

"Come on in, Steve," Dr. Garner said, waving him inside with one hand. "You're right on time."

Dr. Garner’s office was very familiar to him, having spent an hour there every week for the past nine months. Decorated with painted walls and plush, comfortable furniture in muted colors, it was designed to feel welcoming and inviting. Open shelving held a number of overstuffed kneeling cushions and a bookcase was filled with instructional books and pamphlets. Steve headed to his usual seat, an armchair near a large window. In the early days of his claim, he’d found it very difficult to talk during these weekly sessions until Dr. Garner had hit upon the idea of Steve drawing during their conversations. The sunlight through the window was the perfect lighting for his sketchbook.

A pang went through Steve’s chest when he caught a glimpse of the soccer field outside as he took his seat, setting his bookbag beside him. Soccer season was long over but he could easily bring to mind the image of Phil guarding the goal, feet shoulder-width apart and arms spread, ready to spring into action at any moment. Steve resisted the urge to rub away the dull ache that had set up residence in his chest for the past couple of days. It was just a temporary setback. He had a plan. 

Dr. Garner sat down in the armchair opposite and rested an ankle on his knee. He linked his hands together and studied Steve, who had to fight the urge to squirm underneath his gaze.

“This was supposed to be a simple check-in about you going into sub distress on Friday night,” Dr. Garner said in his calm, measured voice. “But then Phil informed me that the two of you dissolved your claim on Saturday.” His dark eyes narrowed. “I noticed that you did not do the same.”

This was the reason that Steve liked Dr. Garner. He always cut straight to the heart of the matter. Of course, that same intuition also made it harder to hide things from him.

Steve swallowed. The day before, he’d rehearsed carefully what he wanted to say to Dr. Garner for this very reason. “There was a misunderstanding,” he said. “Phil thought I wanted another Domme. I don’t.”

“It must have been a pretty big misunderstanding if it ended in your claim dissolving,” said Dr. Garner, head tilting slightly. His gaze didn’t waver from Steve’s.

“Peggy,” Steve started to say and then added, haltingly, “the Domme at the dance,” just in case Dr. Garner had forgotten the person that had caused him to go into sub distress three days ago. “I do want to be with her. But I did some research” — this wasn’t a total lie; he’d done some internet searches after hearing about Tony’s situation — “and sometimes Doms and subs can be in relationships without being, umh, you know, Doms and subs. That’s what I want with Peggy,” he finished in a rush.

“Is that what Peggy wants?”

“Yeah, she does,” Steve said quickly, nodding his head for emphasis. “She said she doesn’t want to Dom anyone.”

“It’s true that people with differing dynamics can have romantic relationships without power exchange,” Dr. Garner said after a long pause.

Steve smiled, relieved that all was going according to plan. “So Phil can keep being my Dom, Peggy can be my girlfriend, and – ”

Dr. Garner held up a hand, halting the flow of Steve’s words. “It’s not the kind of relationship that I would recommend for you right now.”

Steve felt the bottom drop out of his stomach as his carefully crafted plan began to unravel before his eyes. “With all due respect, sir, you have got to be kidding me,” he said. “It would solve everything!”

Dr. Garner leaned forward, gaze intent on Steve. “It’s been less than six months since you truly submitted to Phil for the first time. You just experienced a case of sub distress when caught between Phil’s and Peggy’s orders. Then add in the fact that you would be pursuing a long-distance relationship with Peggy – ”

“She’s applied to colleges here,” Steve protested, although he didn’t have much hope in changing Dr. Garner’s mind. He could see the picture Dr. Garner was painting and it didn’t look great for his case.

“Steve,” Dr. Garner said gently but firmly, “it’s not a good idea right now. But hey,” he said, leaning back in his chair, “your feelings for her survived a two-year separation, I’m sure that a few more months won’t hurt matters. In fact, it will give you a chance to get to know each other again.”

Steve’s eyes widened in surprise. He had no idea Dr. Garner knew how long he’d liked Peggy.

Dr. Garner let out a knowing chuckle at Steve's expression. “I keep my ear to the grapevine, you know,” he said. "Makes my job as a school therapist a little bit easier if I already know all the gossip."

A smile tugged at Steve’s lips even though resentment weighed down his heart. His situation wasn’t all that different than Tony’s. And yet, Tony had been dating Bruce for the past six months already while he was being told to wait.

Dr. Garner glanced at the clock. “We’re out of time for now. Are you feeling even enough for class today?”

“Yes,” Steve said resolutely while rising to his feet. He spent enough time missing class because of illness that he always tried to go whenever possible.

Besides, Steve thought as he headed towards the office door, bookbag slung over one shoulder, if he really thought about Dr. Garner’s words, he’d only discouraged Steve from a relationship with Peggy. There was nothing preventing him from renewing his claim with Phil.

With that thought, he pulled open the door only to come to an abrupt stop on the threshold. Phil had been sitting in a chair in the hallway but as soon as the door opened, his head snapped upwards like a bloodhound and he jumped to his feet. Phil crossed the short distance between them and stopped a hair’s-breadth away, eyes blazing with emotion as his gaze swept over Steve.

“Are you okay?” Phil asked sharply. There was no steel in his voice but it was enough of a demand that Steve felt his knees grow weak.

“Yes, sir,” Steve breathed. His body swayed forward slightly as he spoke and it was a struggle for him to remain upright in the face of Phil’s overwhelming dominant presence.

“Phil.” The name seemed to fall from Dr. Garner’s lips, hard and disapproving. “Inside my office. Now.”

Phil shook his head slightly, the intensity of his gaze lessening as he blinked rapidly. “Yes, Dr. Garner,” he said quietly, obviously abashed, and slipped past Steve into the office.

Steve was left standing in the doorway, heart pounding, head reeling, unable to move. He wanted Phil to come back so that he could sink down to his knees. He wanted to lay his forehead against Phil’s muscular thigh and breathe in his familiar scent. He wanted to let his thoughts drift away, certain in the knowledge that he could rest because Phil would take care of him.

Dr. Garner's voice snapped him out of it. “If you need a temporary Dom - ”

“No!” Steve said immediately, whirling around. The thought of submitting to anyone other than Phil made another pang go through his heart. “I’m fine.”

Dr. Garner didn’t look convinced, arms crossing as he looked intently at Steve.

“I’m fine,” Steve insisted before making his escape.

He was not fine.

The dull ache in his chest worsened as the day dragged by. Even worse, Steve realized just how dumb it had been to lie to Dr. Garner. Instead, he could have waited until Phil had been done with his session and then cleared up this whole misunderstanding about Peggy. They could have renewed their claim by now and made good use of one of the submission rooms.

As it was, Steve consoled himself with the knowledge that he’d see Phil at lunch. If he was lucky, he’d even be able to grab Phil before he went into the cafeteria and they’d be able to set this whole mess straight.

It was with that thought in mind that he hurried out of his fourth period class as soon as the bell sounded, weaving his way through the crowd of students spilling out from classrooms in every direction. Steve gritted his teeth as his frustration mounted with every sidestep he had to employ to make his way to the cafeteria. It seemed like everybody in school wanted to stop walking and have a chat with each other directly in his path.

Steve ended up being the first one out of their group to their usual table. He quickly pulled his sketchbook out of his bag so he could look busy when everyone else arrived, not wanting to seem too eager. It turned out that he didn't need to rush at all. 

Phil never showed. Neither did Clint.

When the bell rang for the next period, Steve did his best to push down his disappointment as he carefully packed away his sketchbook. He would just visit Phil after school. It wasn’t anything he hadn’t done before. He’d done it plenty of times when he and Phil had just been friends.

Steve ignored the little voice that said things were different now.

*

It seemed to take forever for Phil to answer the doorbell.

“Steve?” Phil seemed genuinely surprised to see him, brow slightly furrowed. “I thought you would be with Peggy. Doesn’t she leave soon?”

“I - ” Steve’s voice trailed away as he took in the fact that Phil wasn’t immediately inviting him inside like he normally would. Phil had only partially opened the door and his body was fully blocking the entrance. “Are you busy?”

The furrow between Phil’s brows briefly deepened before his expression smoothed. “No,” he replied. “Come on in.”

Steve trailed behind Phil as they moved deeper inside the house, mind working furiously to calm himself and put his thoughts in order. He had a plan. Everything would be fixed soon. Both his thoughts and feet halted when he reached the doorway of the living room.

Steve’s kneeling cushion was gone.

It’s not as if his kneeling cushion was always ready and waiting for him at the coffee table. Steve was not always in the mood to kneel and his arthritis meant he couldn’t do it for long periods of time anyway. But a quick glance to the shelf showed that the blue cushion was missing from its usual spot as well even though Clint’s purple cushion was still in its place.

Steve drew in a strained breath and held on to his plan. He could fix this.

“Have a seat, Steve,” Phil said evenly. His expression was carefully blank, the way it always got when Phil was sorting through his emotions. Right now, Steve wished Phil wasn’t so in control — he wanted to know what Phil was thinking. Steve breathed a silent sigh of relief when Phil sat on one side of the couch rather than in the armchair, quickly taking a seat on the other side. He didn’t know if he could bear it if Phil had sat so far away from him.

“I spoke to Peggy,” Steve began, keeping his voice measured and firm. He didn’t want there to be any more misunderstandings between him and Phil. “We do like each other and we want to date. But she doesn’t want to Dom me.”

Phil’s eyelids flickered. “She doesn’t?” he murmured.

“No, she doesn’t,” Steve reiterated. “So, I wouldn’t have two Doms. There’s no reason for us not to renew our claim.” He forced out a laugh in an attempt to lighten the mood. “Really, we shouldn’t have dissolved it in the first place.”

Phil’s gaze dropped to his clasped hands. He didn’t reply.

“You can talk to Peggy,” Steve said into the silence, voice unconsciously speeding up in his eagerness to have Phil understand. “In fact, the three of us should sit down before Peggy leaves and figure things out. None of us have gotten our college acceptance letters so we’ll probably have to meet again after we decide where we want to go. You and Peggy will probably want to work out rules and boundaries and stuff like that. I know it will take some work but I think we can...” Steve’s voice trailed off when Phil didn’t say anything.

In fact, there was no reaction from Phil to any of Steve’s words. Phil sat, motionless and silent, on the other side of the couch, gaze still trained on his hands. It was so unlike the Phil Steve knew that he wasn’t sure what to do. Considering Phil had just barely stopped himself from Domming Steve this morning, Steve thought that Phil would leap at the chance to renew their claim. Had Dr. Garner said something during their session to change Phil’s mind?

“Phil,” Steve said softly after another minute of continued silence, “please say something.”

A soft sigh came from Phil’s lips before he raised his head to meet Steve’s gaze. “You want the same arrangement that Tony, Bruce, and Pepper have: a sub dating one Dom and in a claim with another.”

Shock sliced through Steve, lips parting in surprise. “You know about them?!” he exclaimed. “How? They said it was a secret!”

“Nobody else knows,” Phil replied. “Pepper wanted a peer Dom to talk to outside of her therapy sessions so three months ago, I went through a screening process and signed an NDA before they told me. Pepper called to let me know you knew right after your group phone call.”

It took a moment for Steve to respond, stunned all over again about the level of trust Tony had placed in him. There was no legal agreement keeping Steve’s mouth shut, just Steve’s word that he wouldn’t tell anyone. 

“Y-yeah,” Steve finally said. “That’s what I want. They’ve been together for six months. It’s proof that it can work.”

Phil pressed his lips together briefly, brow furrowed. “Did you tell Dr. Garner this morning?” he asked. “I know you wouldn’t have told him about Tony,” he said when Steve opened his mouth furiously, “but some of his questions were very specific.”

“I just told him what I told you: that I wanted to date Peggy and for you to be my Dom.”

“And what did he say?”

“He didn’t have anything to say about us renewing our claim,” Steve said, in a knowingly futile attempt at evading the question. Phil always saw through him.

The furrow between Phil’s brows deepened. “Steve.”

Steve let out an aggravated sigh. “Ugh, fine!” he spat out, crossing his arms. “He said that he didn’t think it was a good idea for me to start dating Peggy right now. We should get to know each other again because we haven’t seen each other in a couple of years.”

Saying it out loud made a few puzzle pieces in Steve’s mind click into place. His claim with Phil had already taught him that attraction could not be the sole foundation of a relationship. He had been friends with Phil for almost two years before they entered a claim and still they’d had a few rocky patches. Jumping into dating Peggy after not speaking for the same amount of time was bound to kill the relationship before it even got started. The fight left him, leaving his shoulders slumped.

Steve caught sight of a ghost of a smile tugging at one corner of Phil’s lips as he witnessed Steve’s realization. “You,” he said, pointing to Phil and glaring, “not a word.”

“Not a single peep,” Phil said agreeably, his smile widening when Steve let out a wordless growl in response. For a moment, it felt like old times. Steve had always had tunnel vision when it came to finding a solution to a problem, even when others gave him advice on how to handle it, but talking it over with Phil would open his eyes to the other possibilities. Phil helped him to be the best version of himself. He needed Phil in his life, plain and simple, and it was silly that he had wasted so much time telling himself that he didn’t.

“Well, that's one issue down,” Steve said, matching Phil’s small smile with one of his own. “Now, let’s renew our claim.”

The smile immediately dropped off of Phil’s face. Even though Phil didn’t move, Steve felt as if he had pulled away from him. “I can’t,” said Phil after a short silence.

Steve felt his heart lurch in panic but he tried not to let it show. “I don’t understand,” he said. “Peggy will just be a friend for now. We should at least finish out the last three months of our claim.”

Phil didn’t answer and his gaze dropped back down to his hands. Once again, Steve was struck by how wrong it felt to see Phil look so vulnerable. A suspicion took hold in his mind. Phil was always direct and decisive. This evasiveness was so unlike him that there had to be another reason for it. Or another person. 

“I guess,” Steve said slowly, “I should really be asking Clint. But he’s going to say no.” Phil’s silence was answer enough. “Because he doesn’t want to share anymore now that you’re in a romantic claim,” Steve said softly, coming to the obvious conclusion.

“No.” Phil met his gaze and the pain in his eyes made Steve’s heart clench. “He’ll say no because I asked him to say no.”

Steve felt like he couldn’t breathe. It was a million times worse than an asthma attack. It felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the world. The dull ache in his heart worsened with every beat and his stomach had turned into lead. “You – “ Steve made himself swallow even though his throat was bone dry. “You don’t want me anymore.”

Phil let out a harsh laugh. “There’s never a moment when I don’t want you, Steve,” he said, eyes suddenly burning with a fierce light. “Never forget that.”

“I don’t understand,” Steve repeated, a touch impatiently. He searched Phil’s eyes, hoping to find an answer. “So why don’t you want to renew our claim?”

The light in Phil’s eyes dimmed and he looked down at his hands again. “Steve, after the dance, I went into top drop.”

Steve drew in a swift breath of surprise. He’d known that Doms could experience the same kind of negative freefall as subs but Steve had never thought of it happening to Phil. He was always so calm and in control; the thought of Phil feeling the same kind of emotional distress that Steve had during the dance seemed almost ludicrous.

“Clint helped to bring me out of it,” Phil continued quietly, “but I’ve been feeling off-kilter ever since then. I spent most of the day in Dr. Garner’s office, working through it.”

“That’s why you weren’t at lunch?” Steve asked softly. Guilt was starting to spiral through him. He had seen Phil this morning! He should have known something was wrong. And especially when Phil hadn't shown up for lunch. He hadn't even tried to figure out where Phil was.

Phil nodded. “Dr. Garner helped me to realize something that I had been ignoring for a while.” His lips pressed together briefly before he let out another one of those sighs. “Having two subs is too much for me right now.” 

“Too much?”

Phil raised a hand, counting off on each finger as he spoke. “Waiting on college admissions letters, thinking that Clint didn’t want me, having you go into sub distress, entering and figuring out a romantic claim with Clint, you wanting another Dom.” Steve opened his mouth to interrupt but Phil continued before he could. “Even if she doesn’t want to Dom you, I still have feelings about her being in the picture.”

Steve closed his mouth. He looked at Phil’s hand, all five fingers splayed apart. It did seem like a lot to deal with now that Phil had said it out loud.

“All of that happened just in the last couple of days,” said Phil, dropping his hand. “Right now, we’re all in the same school. If you and I renewed our claim, I would have to try to manage two potentially long-distance claims while adjusting to college life at the same time.”

The more Phil spoke, the heavier Steve’s heart got.

“Not to mention the negotiation you and Peggy and I would have to go through to make a situation like that work,” Phil continued. It seemed that now he’d started talking, the words kept spilling out of him. “I’ve seen firsthand what Pepper is going through. It’s not easy for her.” Phil clasped his hands back together tightly in his lap. “I want to say yes,” he said and Steve was floored when Phil’s voice shook slightly. “Steve, you have no idea how badly I want to say yes. But I can’t. I just – ” Phil’s voice broke before he pressed his lips tightly together again, skin turning white with the pressure.

Steve’s conversation with Tony flashed through his mind.

_“I didn't tell you about Bruce to encourage you to go after Peggy,” Tony said abruptly, interrupting Steve. He raised his head and Steve was startled to see the level of despair in his eyes. “I told you about Bruce so that you wouldn't.”_

_“I’m selfish,” Tony said. He shook his head when Steve opened his mouth to protest. “No, Steve, I am. I want things too much.” He ran a hand through his hair, frustration creasing his brow. “I want Pepper. And I want Bruce. And I don’t know how to let go of the things I want.”_

_He leaned forward, burying his face in his hands. “It’s killing them,” he said, his voice muffled. Tony’s hands dropped away from his face, revealing his anguished expression. “Pepper doesn’t admit to it but I know it kills her every time I spend time with Bruce without her. She thinks that one day Bruce will Dom me and I’ll pick him over her.”_

Tony had tried to warn him but Steve hadn’t listened. Well, he was listening now.

“It’s okay.” Steve was surprised to hear how calm his voice was because his heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces. “I’m going to call Clint,” he said, pulling out his cell phone.

“No.” Phil’s voice didn’t sound like him at all, dull and tired. “He’s at archery practice.”

“I’m calling him,” Steve said firmly as he selected Clint’s number and pressed the Call button.

Phil didn’t protest again.

A burst of sound came through the speaker when the call was picked up, a strange echoing quality to it. Clint must still be in the locker room. “Hello?”

Steve’s mind went blank at the sound of Clint’s voice. His hand tightened on his cell phone. This was it. This was the moment when he needed to let go. Yet, Steve couldn’t find the words to speak.

Another memory came to mind.

_“You still don’t get it.” Clint shook his head. Even though Clint was a grade below them, there was knowledge in his eyes that made him seem much older. “Last week in the van, he was really happy. So I was happy. And right now, he’s hurting, so I’m hurting.”_

Steve looked over at Phil. His arms were crossed now, shoulders rounded and hunched, and his gaze was trained on the floor. The heaviness in Steve’s chest worsened when he looked at Phil and he finally understood Clint’s words from last summer. Steve was hurting because Phil was hurting.

But Phil was hurting because of Steve. And Steve could make that hurt go away.

“Steve, what’s going on?” Clint sounded worried. The background noise had lessened; Clint must have moved to a quieter area. “Are you okay? Is it your asthma? If you can’t speak, at least press a button – ”

“Phil needs you,” Steve said abruptly, interrupting him. “You need to come to Phil’s house.”

“On my way,” said Clint, voice terse, before there was the click of the call disconnecting.

Steve slowly lowered the phone to his lap. He felt strangely hollow now, as if a piece of him had been carved out. He kept his own eyes on the blank screen of his cell phone, not wanting to stare at Phil when he was so vulnerable. “Should I leave?” he asked quietly.

“No.” Phil’s reply was soft but swift. “Please don’t. Not until Clint gets here.”

“Okay.”

They sat in silence, broken only by the dim ticking of the grandfather clock in the front hall. It was so quiet that Steve could hear the way that Phil was breathing in and out in prolonged, controlled breaths. Silently, Steve began to count along with the familiar exercise. In for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Out for 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. 

Steve jumped a little when the front doorbell rang an indeterminate time later. He stood up on wooden legs. The doorbell rang again as he reached down to grab his bookbag, the person on the other side obviously impatient. “I’ll go let him in,” Steve said, voice sounding far away to his own ears.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Phil’s head raise. “Steve.” There was steel in Phil’s voice, the unyielding will of a Dom. “Call Dr. Garner when you get home.”

Steve set his jaw, wanting to rage against the unfairness of it all even as he relished the soothing sensation of a command washing over him. Phil had no right to Dom him anymore. And yet, both he and Phil knew that Steve wouldn’t call Dr. Garner without the command, even if it was best for him.

“Yes, sir,” he replied softly and turned away before his heart could break even more.

The doorbell rang again when Steve set foot in the foyer. The outline of Clint was visible through the frosted glass and Steve watched as Clint ran a hand hastily through his hair.

_“I’m not enough for him,” Clint said the words matter-of-factly, with no trace of jealousy or anger. “And I don’t know if you would be enough for him either. But I do know that being with both of us makes him feel complete.”_

Clint was wrong. Steve had only been in the way.

Steve pulled open the door to see Clint pacing on the front steps, a harried look on his face. His archery gear bag was slung over his shoulder but he still held his bow in one hand and a small empty quiver was strapped to his hip.

“Where is he?” Clint demanded.

“The living room.”

To Steve’s surprise, Clint didn’t move right away. “I’m sorry for what I said,” Clint said abruptly. “I know you would never want to hurt Phil.”

“You were right,” Steve said. His voice still sounded as if it were coming from a long way away to him. “I didn’t see that Phil was the best thing to happen to me and now I’ve lost him.”

“I wasn’t right,” Clint snapped. He glanced past Steve’s shoulder. Steve looked back too but there was no movement or sound from deeper in the house. Clint looked back to Steve. “I was angry at myself and I took it out on you. I chose words that I knew would hurt and I’m sorry.”

Steve’s hands curled into fists. “Did Phil tell you to apologize to me?” He tried but couldn’t entirely stop the bitterness that crept into his tone.

“No,” Clint said. “I wanted to.”

Steve tried to draw in a calming breath. “I accept your apology,” he replied stiffly, wanting this conversation to be over already. “You should go. Phil needs you.”

Clint stepped in front of Steve when he moved to try to get around him. Irritated, Steve glared up at Clint. “You haven’t lost him,” Clint said, undeterred. His sharp, knowing gaze bore into Steve. “Phil needs you too.”

It was taking everything in Steve to walk out of Phil’s house, to leave the only Dom he’d ever wanted. Clint standing in front of him, with blue-green eyes the color of the sea, the afternoon sun perfectly highlighting his dirty blonde hair, towering over Steve by several inches, tight T-shirt straining over his biceps and abs, highlighting the kind of musculature Steve could never hope to achieve, was salt in a rapidly growing wound. One of Steve’s closed fists jerked slightly, a part of him wanting to punch Clint in his stupid, perfect face.

Instead, Steve said quietly, “Clint, let me pass.”

This time, Clint did.

Steve didn’t remember the walk home. The next thing he knew, he was sliding down the wall next to his front door, knees finally giving out on him. The apartment was blissfully silent and still — his mother was still at work and would be for hours. Steve didn’t want to move, not even to get off the floor, but there was one last thing he had to do.

“Dr. Garner?” Steve asked, voice shaking, when the call was finally picked up. “Phil told me to call you…”

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback and comments are much appreciated.


End file.
